


Sole Survivor: Right After He Finds Them

by robingurl



Category: Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries (TV)
Genre: Season 2: Sole Survivor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-15
Updated: 2020-04-15
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:47:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23661787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/robingurl/pseuds/robingurl
Summary: Right after Joe finds his brother and father what would happen? This is an old one 2009... but still a good one.
Kudos: 9
Collections: 70s Hardy Boys TV Show - Season 2 Fics





	Sole Survivor: Right After He Finds Them

The walk back to the car turned into an eventful one, Fenton knew his youngest son wasn't alright and was grateful for Frank's arm around Joe. Mentally he made a note to call a doctor as soon as they made it back to the hotel. 

He just couldn't believe Joe was alive. He felt relieved and exhausted at the same time. He just hoped Joe was going to be alright. Fenton had seen many men, twice Joe's age suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder - unable to be apart from their loved ones and have night terrors every night. Maybe Joe would be alright, Joe was stronger than he looked. 

*~*

"Frank, stop treating me like I'm five." Joe complained weakly. He didn't exactly pull himself away from Frank's embrace but didn't really curl close either- not in public! In reality, Joe was grateful for Frank's arm. He wanted the feel of a loved one right now, if Frank really did let go….Joe tried not think about it. 

As they got closer to the car Frank's arm did unwind it's self from Joe's waist. Joe stood there silently trying his best to not come across as a crazy psycho. His heart was beating and he had the strangest urge to cry. 

"Joe? You going to climb in?" His father and the others were in the other car, taking the bad guys to the police office. Frank had strict orders to get his brother back to the hotel and in bed until a doctor deemed it safe for Joe to move about. Frank twisted slightly and wasn't prepared for what he saw. 

It looked like his brother was going to fall over if he tried to move and why were his brother's hands clenched as tight as they were? "Joe…?" He asked uncertainly. Joe didn't move right away and Frank swore he saw tears forming. "Joe? Come on and get in the car. It'll be alright." He didn't know what he was soothing but it seemed to work. He didn't miss the one tear sliding down his brother's cheek but decided not to say anything about it. 

Joe's legs moved unsteadily and he shook off the strange feelings. He only climbed into the old taxi and relaxed when Frank's hand grabbed his own. He sighed and laid his head down on Frank's shoulder, his brother and father weren't dead. 

They were alive. 

*~*

The call to the doctors only brought them to a long waiting list. Joe was twenty down the line. They were told it'd be maybe two hours. Frank sat down on the edge of the bed beside Joe and sighed, "What a week." 

"You're telling me." Joe replied hoarsely.

His brother's tone surprised him and Frank sat up straighter looking down at his little brother. "Joe, are you ok?" 

Then the unexpected happened, in one movement, Joe sat up and flung himself at Frank sobbing into the older hardy's shoulder. Joe's arms were wrapped tightly around the other's frame. 

"Shhh, it's ok, Joe. It's ok." 

"Go..God….I tho…thought. You…dead…Frank….don't let go…" Joe hiccupped weakly.

Frank let his own tears fall freely as he coddled his younger brother to him rocking him slightly and making sure his arms were wrapped tightly around Joe's smaller frame. "I'm not, I'm alive and so are you." 

He hadn't heard Joe sob like this since they were around seven years old and Joe had broken his arm in four places, his brother was really hurting. The sobs tore at Frank's heart as he tried to calm the shaking form in his arms down. He used one arm and reached up stroking the blonde hair that belonged to his brother. Joe only sniffled and hiccupped in response burying his face in his brother's neck. "I'm here, Joe. I'm here." 

Joe's sobs didn't calm for another five to ten minutes. As they slowed to just sniffling, Frank sighed into his brother's hair making sure his embrace was tight enough for Joe to be comfortable. Finally Frank felt Joe go limp and he heard an unsteady sigh. "Joe, you've got to be exhausted, I know I am-" Boy was that the truth. Frank felt like he could fall over any moment. 

"Nn..not moving..don' let go.." Came the muffled response. 

"Who said I was going to let go?" Joe only clung tighter if that were possible and Frank laughed, "Joe, I'm not leaving you." Soothingly, Frank ran a hand up one of Joe's arms. That was when he discovered something completely unplanned. "Joe? What's this?"

"What's what?" 

"Sit up for a minute, you're arm.." Joe weakly obeyed orders and Frank quickly pulled up Joe's sleeve before placing one of his hands on Joe's shoulders, keeping the blonde up right. Joe's eyes were red and wet as he tried to focus on why Frank was freaking out. "Joe, did they do this to you?" 

The young Hardy stared at the offending limb finally focusing on the bruising and what looked like to be scabs from puncture wounds …almost like a syringe. "I guess they did…I don't even know what happened Frank. I'm so confused."


End file.
